A product line in the computer and electronics industry is generally defined by a wide array of products that can be integrated to form a system. In many instances, the various components that comprise a given system are mounted in one or more racks that have a standardized vertical spacing, although the number of standardized units between the components varies widely. One standard spacing within a rack is set by a DIN standard at (1 U=1.75 inches=44.5 mm). Heat transfer and other considerations often dictate that a dedicated space exist between components to facilitate air to flow for convective cooling. Spaces also exist for clearance purposes or to permit equipment to be changed or serviced. Thus, an assemblage of modules in a rack leaves gaps between the modules, and these are typically covered using plates known as fascia covers.
Currently, a structural, foam molded fascia cover with a height of 16 U is used. Smaller sizes are created by cutting, removing sections of the 16 U cover and then splicing the remaining pieces together using steel channels. Existing fascia covers are thus extremely expensive and require a labor-intensive effort to fabricate a cover to a specific opening size. The existing covers do, however, provide an aesthetically acceptable appearance to the finished system. It would be desirable to reduce the cost of fascia covers without compromising the integrity or aesthetic appearance of these components. Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a low cost set of modular components that can be used to create fascia covers of various sizes.
The provision of a modular and easily changed instrument panel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,035,446--Ross. The Ross patent discloses instrument panel covers that include easily removable sections that provide cut outs for various sized instruments that are inserted in the panel. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,838 discloses an instrument mounting panel that is divided into a number of smaller panel elements that can be broken away to adjust both the panel size, as well as the number and size of openings in the panel.
The use of fascia panels having removable sections is known in the design of the housings of personal computers and similar devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,683--Chu discloses a front panel comprised of a frame and two wall units. The wall units fill in the space between the disk drive openings and the like that are found in a personal computer front panel. A similar concept is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,493--Yu, which shows a personal computer front panel comprised of component panels that can be oriented either horizontally or vertically.
There remains, however, a need for a fascia panel assembly that can be adapted to fit in openings of various sizes. In particular, there exists a need for a fascia panel that can cooperate with the structure of a standardized rack used for mounting computer and electronic components.